Abstract:

From 2 to 11 century, within about 1000 years, all the Chinese written works communicate by manuscripts.
Yong Shu which refers to a career of copying with payment is an important economic and cultural phenomenon rooted in
manuscript communication. In manuscript era, Yong Shu is the main and only way to copy the written works. The development of education and the popular application of paper are the main forces which have promoted Yong Shu. Copyists
were all poor intellectuals and their employers are government, religious institutions and individuals. But the copyists
are rarely hired by booksellers. The primary causes of this directly relate to the environment of making manuscripts by
the intellectuals themselves and the policy of emphasizing agriculture at the expense of commerce.